Loblolly Pine Tree

Loblolly Pine - Pinus taeda

The loblolly pine tree is a fast-growing evergreen with beautiful needles and a straight majestic trunk. Although the loblolly can top 100 feet with a branch span of up to 30 feet, most trees grown around homes are significantly smaller. This evergreen features yellow to dark-green needles that can reach 10 inches in length. The lovely, red-brown bark adds a touch of beauty to any landscape. The loblolly's pine cones are yellow in color and measure about three to six inches in length, but the female cones become green and then brown after pollination. It takes about a year-and-a-half for a cone to mature to its brown color and collect seeds. An adaptable tree, the loblolly grows well in a variety of soils including sandy, loamy and clay and thrives in hardiness zones six to nine. The evergreen grows fastest in direct sunlight but also does well in shady spots.

The loblolly pine tree is native to the United States east coast and is also known as rosemary pine, bull pine, Indian pine, as well as other names. The evergreen was originally found growing in the bottom of rivers and often takes over abandoned fields. The loblolly has a lovely scent and served as an important lumber tree. Easy-to-grow, these evergreen trees provide homeowners with a wind block as well as a privacy screen. Since they can grow up to two feet per year, these evergreens are a good choice for homeowners who want to change their landscape in a short time period. They are native to the southeast region of the country and provide food and habitat for wildlife around the home including birds, squirrels and chipmunks. Disease-resistant and hardy, the loblolly is easy to transplant and simply needs water to thrive. This evergreen naturally loses its lower branches as it ages, providing shade to the surrounding areas.You can buy them at a local nursery.